Addressing the Blind Spots in Women's Healthcare: A Call for Systemic Change

A recent analysis by researchers at UNSW Sydney highlights significant gaps in women's health care, emphasizing that the limited focus on reproductive issues—sometimes called "bikini medicine"—leaves women underserved across a broad spectrum of health concerns. Professor Bronwyn Graham, a psychologist and the inaugural director of UNSW's Center for Sex & Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, points out that women often face inadequate research, diagnosis, and treatment in areas like aging, chronic illnesses, and non-reproductive health conditions.

Despite the Australian government's recent initiatives—such as the National Women's Health Strategy, the LGBTQIA+ 10-Year Action Plan, and the National Women's Health Advisory Council—there remains a systemic bias rooted in the healthcare infrastructure, which was historically developed around male-centric data. For example, until the 1990s, women of reproductive age were largely excluded from clinical trials, a practice driven by fears of legal liability following tragedys like the thalidomide disaster. This historical neglect results today in medical treatments and drugs being approved without thoroughly understanding their effects on women's bodies.

Prof. Graham discusses how many medical devices and procedures are designed with male physiology as the default. This extends to clinical training and research, where even CPR mannequins lack female anatomical features, impairing healthcare providers’ ability to effectively treat women in emergencies. Conditions such as heart disease, depression, and even common ailments are manifested differently in women, yet treatment guidelines are often based on male-centric data, leading to misdiagnoses and less effective care.

Furthermore, specific cancers and health issues predominantly affecting women, such as endometriosis and ovarian cancer, continue to suffer from underfunding and late detection. Patient stories, such as that of Professor Louise Chappell, underscore the real-world consequences of this neglect. Her experience with breast cancer reveals how medical and aesthetic priorities can sometimes overshadow optimal health outcomes.

The center also advocates for inclusive research that considers the diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations. Currently, data collection is often binary and exclusionary, which hampers the development of tailored and effective treatments for LGBTQIA+ communities.

Encouragingly, there is increasing interest from medical technology and pharmaceutical companies to design products that are effective across all genders, driven by the recognition that inclusive treatments are safer and more effective. With strong public backing and political will, Australia is poised to make significant progress. Prof. Graham emphasizes that integrating sex and gender considerations into every stage of healthcare research and delivery enhances the quality, accuracy, and fairness of care—making it not just a moral imperative but a scientific one.